On the farm: I am a third-generation farmer on both sides of my family and have been involved in production agriculture the majority of my life. My husband and I operate a sheep and crop farm in South Central Kansas where we raise wheat, oats, milo, forage crops and are getting into sunflowers.
Each crop we plant is chosen with a dual purpose in mind: It will be harvested as a grain or a residue that can be used for grazing our sheep flock and small cow herd.
As a no-till operator, my tasks are different from what I grew up with, but I still use the love of the land that my parents instilled in me as a child to make the best decisions for the land.
Community Involvement: Kansas Association of County Ag Agents
Why did you decide to participate in the FAN and IDEA Committee? I have seen programs in the past that do not benefit early adopters. One of the things I like about RIPE is support for those early adopters. I also see the benefit personally from some of the climate-friendly practices and think the incentive to continue those practices will be beneficial for many producers.
What impact would the RIPE100 policy have on farmers and ranchers? RIPE 100 will help farmers and ranchers with the costs associated with climate-friendly practices. These are practices that many farmers and ranchers have been doing for years at their own cost and potentially loss of income.
What's your favorite music artist? I love “old” country music: music from the ‘80s, the songs that I listened to as I drove the tractor on the farm growing up!